A Goofy Love Story
by Hedlund
Summary: Why is Goofy a single father? Who is Max's mother? This story is an attempt to answer those questions. WIP.
1. The usual?

Disclaimer: I do not own A Goofy Movie, or any characters or settings associated with it. Furthermore I'm not making any money on this. This disclaimer applies for all chapters.

**The usual?**

Goofy was feeling slightly melancholic as he sat down in his usual seat at the small diner.

The reason for this was that he felt alone. Sure, he had Donald and Mickey, but they had drifted apart during the last few years. Donald had been employed by his rich uncle, Scrooge McDuck, and had (by some amazing stroke of luck) found himself a woman who put up with his choleric personality as well as his three young nephews, and Mickey had his Minnie and a prosperous detective agency. Those crazy business ventures that the three friends had used to run together were a thing of the past.

He sighed and looked down at the menu, even though he had practically memorized it during the year he had been eating his lunch here. _Every single day_, he thought as he looked at it. _I have been eating here every single day. And why? The food isn't spectacular, neither is the service, nor the atmosphere._

A young waitress dressed in the usual pink polyester uniform approached his table. There was nothing remarkable about her, but when she spoke to Goofy with her soft and friendly voice, he cheered up considerably.

"The usual, Goofy?" She asked him, notepad and pen ready.

"Nah, I don't feel like having pancakes today. I think I'll settle for a cup of coffee and a Club Sandwich instead."

He flashed her his trademarked goofy smile, and she smiled back at him.

"All right, it will be ready for you in a minute."

"Thank you, Carla."

He smiled for himself as he looked at Carla's retreating back. _Gawrsh, I guess that this place does have its charms._

-

Goofy was lost in thoughts his entire lunch hour. He wasn't woken from his reverie until Carla came to his table and asked him why he wasn't at work. That shook him up sufficiently.

"Golly, my boss ain't going to be happy about this", he said as he hurried out from the diner.

§§§

Carla smiled as she looked at him through the window. He tripped over a bucket that a window cleaner had forgot on the curb, but he didn't let such a small inconvenience get him down; he just laughed and picked himself up from the ground. She loved his laughter. _Too bad that I can't hear it through the window_, she thought as he started running again.

_Hmm…He forgot to pay for the meal again. That means that he will come back again later today!_ She almost did a little happy-dance, but she contained herself before she embarrassed herself in front of the customers, not to mention in front of Martha.

Martha was one of her colleagues at _Joes_. She was a kind woman in her late forties, but she was a terrible gossip, and she had already teased her about Goofy on a number of occasions. As a married woman, she lived out her dating fantasies through her younger friend. Not that Carla's love life was anything to talk about.

-

The day went by unusually slow for Carla. She took orders from a number of customers, swept the floor, cleaned the tables, and refilled coffee cups, but once in a while she would look out the window, searching for any sign of _him_.

The knight in shabby armour, Martha used to call him.

…_Speaking of the devil_, she thought as Martha approached her with the usual teasing glint in her eyes.

"Waitin' for your knight, hun?"

It didn't matter how many times Martha used the same tired old joke, it always succeeded in making Carla blush.

"Ya know, there's nothin' wrong with the woman taking the first step. It's obvious that you're heads over heels with 'im, and I don't doubt that he likes ya back."

Carla was now beet-red, and stuttering she replied; "Just because he eats here very single day doesn't mean that he's interested in me. Maybe he just likes the food. He probably doesn't even know that I exist."

Martha gave her a motherly pat on the shoulder, and said: "Ya may not think that ya have anythin' to offer, but ya 're a great gal, and I'm sure that 'e thinks so too. Just talk with 'im, and you'd know that."

"What do you mean? I talk with him every day."

Martha looked sadly at her.

"Hun, 'the usual?' ain't a conversation."

She gave Carla a last meaningful look, and walked away towards a new customer.

§§§

Goofy rushed in to the office where he was employed as a mail-clerk, only to be halted by his boss Mrs Jennings. She did not look happy.

_This is not good_, Goofy thought as he noticed her facial expression.

"Hello, boss", he said and flashed her a lopsided grin. "Sorry I'm late" (_again_, they both thought wryly for themselves).

"You were supposed to be here twenty-five minutes ago." She looked disapprovingly at him, and continued. "Usually I would be happy to just accept your apology, but lately you seem to have made a habit out of being tardy. Now I see no choice but to give you a warning. One more late entry, and you can consider yourself fired."

Goofy stared at her in shock. He had troubles comprehending the seriousness of her threat. Sure, he had been late back from lunch almost every day for the last month or so, and he had never been very good at his job in the first place, but fired!

"But, but…"he started.

"No Goofy, don't argue with me. I have been cutting you some slack this far, even though you always seem to create catastrophes (like that time last week when you accidentally set fire to the company's payroll). But I have to draw the line somewhere. I know that you don't mean any harm, but you're hurting the productivity." At this point, she looked him straight in the eye, and she must have seen that he was on the verge of tears, because suddenly her voice and expression softened, as she kept talking. "Don't be too alarmed though, as I said, this is only a warning. Just make sure to be on time in the future, and you won't be losing your job here anytime soon. It wouldn't hurt if you tried to be more careful when you're changing light bulbs either." With that she smiled at him, and went back in to her office.

Goofy was rather dazed as he stood in the hallway, letting Mrs Jennings words sink in. _All right_, he reasoned. _I'm not fired yet, so there's no need to panic…yet. I just have to keep a better track of time from now on, and keep away from electrical appliances._ He perked up at this thought, and resumed his walk to his workplace.

-

Work went well for Goofy the remainder of the day. He tripped a few times, and spilled out some ink, but apart from that everything went smoothly. Mrs Jennings, who had been keeping an eye on him whenever she got the chance, even gave him a pat on the back at the end of the day.

"Well done. Just keep it up tomorrow as well."

"Gee, thanks, Mrs Jennings." Goofy smiled happily at her, lifted his hat as a goodbye, and left.

As he was walking down the street on his way home, contemplating his day, he suddenly remembered something important. _I never paid for my meal!_. He changed direction to _Joes_, and for some reason unknown to even himself, he also quickened his pace.

§§§

A/N: Ok, this was the first chapter of what I hope will be the story behind Max. If you have any feedback, good or bad, don't hesitate to tell me.


	2. A slip of the mouth

All usual disclaimers apply.

**A slip of the mouth **

Around 5. 20, Carla was starting to get anxious. Where was he? What if he was sick, or dead? _Calm down, he probably didn't remember, that's all. You'll just have to wait until tomorrow._ Despite trying to keep a positive view, Carla couldn't stop worrying. _But he always remember_, she thought, and with a heavy sigh, she started to get ready to leave. She would go off her shift soon, and she couldn't stand around waiting in vain for much longer.

Then, finally, Goofy entered the diner. He looked, well, goofy, and Carla suddenly felt very much aware of the sorry state of her own appearance. Her uniform was stained from the dressing she'd spilt on it, and her hair was greasy from all the fumes from the grill.

In her eyes Goofy looked as great as ever, with his crooked smile, sparkling eyes, and adorable little hat.

"Hiya, Carla", he said.

"Hi there, Goofy."

"I forgot to pay for my meal when I left after lunch", he said

"I know." She smiled at him, and added; "I was waiting for you to show up."

"You were waiting…for me?" He looked at her, an almost longing gleam in his eyes.

Carla realised that she had made a slip, and blushed. _Damn, why can't I think before I open my big fat mouth?_ She didn't say that out loud however, but settled for a "Umm, yeah…I guess I did, that is to say…" She was starting to ramble, but Goofy saved her by saying; "Anyway, here's the money that I owe." He took some scrunched up bills from his vest pocket, and handed them over to Carla. She smiled, a sense of relief washing over her. _He doesn't know…_

"I guess that's it?"

"Yeah, that covers both the meal and the tip", Carla replied, in a businesslike fashion.

Goofy suddenly looked very strange, like if he was engaged in an internal battle with himself, but after a few seconds, he smiled and bid her good bye.

She watched him leave the diner and disappear around the corner, while wondering if she would ever dare to tell him how she felt.

§§§

Goofy worked hard trying to contain his composure as he left the diner. He had been on the verge of asking Carla out, but he had lost his courage when she had dismissed him so calmly. _When she said that she had been waiting for me, I could have sworn that she was happy to see me…But I guess that I only imagined it._

In that reflective mood he arrived at his humble abode. His house was old and in desperate need of repair, but it was his home, and he loved it.

As he crossed the front yard he heard someone calling his name angrily from behind. He turned around and saw one of his neighbours, Mr Figgis. His customary frown was set even deeper than usual, and Goofy knew why, even before he threw that accusative glance at the car that was currently parked in front of Goofy's house.

"Get rid of that piece of junk! Your yard makes the rest of the neighbourhood look bad, and I for one am fed up with it."

Goofy smiled weakly and said "Gawrsh, I had no intention of bein' a menace to society when I drove over that broken bottle outside your house, I just didn't see it."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Mr Figgis said with a hint of nervousness in his otherwise aggressive voice.

"Gee, it's just that I had to park my car somewhere where it wouldn't be in the way while I'm waitin' for the auto shop to take it in for repairs."

"Umm, uh…well be quick about it then!" With that less than eloquent reply, mr Figgis stormed off to his own house. Goofy sighed with relief, and continued his walk to the front door. He put his key in the lock, opened the door, and was greeted with the urgent ringing of the telephone.

"Uh, hello?…Oh, hi there Mickey, didn't expect to hear from ya today…sure…a-ha, that's right…a-hyuk!…I'll see ya and Donald tomorrow then. G'bye." He put the receiver down on its hook, and smiled to himself. _Gee, the old gang back together again; this'll be lots of fun._

In much better spirits than he'd been just minutes before, he made himself dinner. Nothing fancy, just some macaroni and cheese, but as he was eating it, he felt happier than he had been in a long time. The thought of a day out with Mickey and Donald made all confused thoughts about Carla, along with the worries about his job, disappear momentarily.

§§§

Carla's night was very different from Goofy's. The moment she lost sight of him as he rounded the corner, she practically ran to the backroom of _Joes_ where she grabbed her coat and knapsack, and started out the door. She ran the whole way to the small apartment where she lived, and went straight to the bathroom. Inside, she quickly took off her clothes and got into the shower. For a minute she just stood there, the warm and cleansing water falling down on her face, but she was soon done with that small luxury. Instead, she swiftly washed her hair and body, got out of the shower and dried herself off with a towel. She then draped it around herself, and walked to the combined bed- and living room where she ripped out a few items of clothing from the closet.

As she was getting dressed, her thoughts couldn't help but wander back to the conversation she'd had with Goofy earlier in the evening. _Why did he look at me in such a peculiar way? If I didn't now better, I'd almost say that he was…hurt? But wouldn't that mean that he feels something for me?_ She might have been on to something there, but her train of thought was interrupted by a shrill noise from the neighbours upstairs. She awoke from her trance, and cast a quick glance at her wristwatch, only to realize that she was in great danger of being late.

"Damn!" she loudly exclaimed, and threw on the rest of her clothes. On her way out of the apartment, she grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl while longing for a real dinner. _I hate apples_, she thought as he locked the door.

Once again she made a run for it, but this time only to the bus stop one block away. Bus number 13 was just about to leave, but Lady Luck must have been smiling at her, because a senior citizen who was attempting to cross the street blocked its way. Carla almost cried out of joy, but instead settled for some internal taunting. _Yes, I made it! In your face, cruel world!_

Her happy mood lasted the entire ride, and even as far as to the corridors of the local college, but as her feet brought her to the part of the building that was reserved for those who were trying to get their college diploma through night school, she suddenly remembered something important.

_No, it can't be…Please, please, please let them be inside my bag_. She took off the knapsack, opened it, and poured out its contents on a table. But it was to no avail, because she was soon made aware of that her books weren't there. _Great, just great_.

Her lack of literature brought on the wrath of the teacher, but other than that, class wasn't a total failure. As a matter of fact, she did rather well.

Four hours later class was over, and she was getting ready to leave along with the other students, when the teacher, Mr Cooper, indicated that he wanted to talk to her.

"Ms Gardiner, can you stay for a minute?"

"Of course. Is something wrong? I know that I didn't bring my books today, but…"

"It's nothing like that. I just need to talk with you about your aspirations."

"Why? Is it that impossible?" She said this with a desperation that made him choose his words more carefully as he replied.

"No, it's not that bad". He gave her a reassuring smile and continued. "I just wanted to warn you".

She gasped in horror, and he hurriedly explained his intentions. "In the beginning of this term, I had no doubt that you'd manage to reach your goal, but this last month, I have noticed a dangerous slip in the quality of your work."

He looked her straight in the eyes with that, and she blushed, much to her own embarrassment. "If you don't change this unfortunate trend, I'm afraid that your grades just won't cut it."

Carla was dumbstruck. What if she failed? Where would that leave her? After a moment, she managed to regain her composure. "Thanks for the heads up, Mr Cooper. I'll work harder in the future, don't you worry about that."

He smiled reassuringly at her and gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze. "I'm glad to hear that, because I'd hate to see you fail." He smiled once again, and bid her good bye. "See you on Monday. I'm looking forward to reading your next assignment."

Carla was still a little shell shocked, so it wasn't until he had left the room completely that she managed a weak good bye.

-

It was late when she got back home, so all she had time for was to grab a yoghurt from the fridge, gulp it down, and get ready for bed. Even though she was exhausted it took her a long time to get to sleep, because her mind was reeling. Not only about her teacher's words of warning, but also because of Goofy and his odd behaviour.

§§§

A/N: Well, that was chapter 2 of this "great" epic. My initial plan was to post the whole thing once it's finished, but I need the feedback, and therefore it has to be done this way. If some kind soul is willing to beta it for me, I would be forever in his/her debt.


	3. Mixed emotions

**Mixed emotions **

Goofy was sleeping soundly in his bed, snoring loudly enough to drown all noises coming from outside. At 6 a.m. someone drove a car to a screeching halt just outside his window, and one hour later Mr. Figgis flipped over a garbage can as he left for work, but Goofy just slept on, a silly smile on his lips. It wasn't until his alarm clock went off that he finally stirred, and it took three minutes of ringing at an increasing volume before he woke up completely. He had always been a heavy sleeper.

He rubbed his eyes and threw his long legs over the side of the bed. It took him yet another minute before he got up and walked to the bathroom. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and frowned. _I need to shave, badly. But first I have to take a shower._ Goofy did just that, and when the ice-cold water hit him, he suddenly felt very alert.

Completely awake and, consequently, in a good mood, he got himself ready for work in a flash. He kept humming to himself the entire time, only pausing to eat some cereal and brush his teeth.

-

At 8: 30 he was already sorting through the mail at work, not a care in the world. He went on his round through the office earlier than usual, and was in such a good mood that one co-worker suspiciously asked if he was feeling quite right.

"It's Friday, and I'm feelin' fine!" was his only reply.

And he had every reason to feel good. He'd get off work an hour earlier than usual, and then he'd meet up with his friends for a weekend of fun together. Yes, things were starting to work out for Goofy. _Everything is perfect! Everything…except the threat of losing my job…and the fact that the most wonderful girl in the world just sees me as yet another customer. Oh._

§§§

Carla did her best to keep a positive attitude, she really did. Unfortunately, it didn't work for more than a couple of minutes after she'd dragged herself out of bed. She didn't have to go to work on Fridays, and she was glad that she didn't have to be around any customers this particular day. That way, she wouldn't even have to pretend to be cheerful.

Just worrying about Goofy was bad enough, but with the added stress of her plummeting grades, she was definitely feeling down. It didn't help that her apartment had been in need of a good cleaning for weeks. She knew that she would have to do it today, and that was not a happy thought.

_I just want to sleeeeep_, she sulked. Unfortunately, her sense of duty forced her to eat her breakfast and get herself ready for some serious housework. _Carla's day of fun is ready to begin_, she thought sullenly as she took in the state of her messy home. _God, I wish I had a housekeeper_.

She worked like a woman possessed for several hours: dusting, vacuuming, mopping, doing several days worth of dishes and laundry, and even tidying her closet. While rushing back and forth like a tornado, her mind had worked even more thoroughly than her body, not letting her worries rest for even a moment. That was just the way she was, physical labour made her think. And when she thought too much, she got depressed. Problems that usually resided at the back of her mind were analysed in all ways imaginable, only to make her worry more about them.

_…I shouldn't have let my feelings get in the way of my studies, that much is clear. If only I could be so cool about it when he actually looks at me. I'm such a loser, falling for him, he doesn't like me like that. Martha says that he does like me in the sense of him wanting to…you know, but no, why would he? I'm just another waitress. I mean, look at me! Frizzy mud brown hair, no sense of style or grace, bad skin, and I'm fat. …Well all right, I'm not that fat, but I could still stand to lose a couple of pounds. And to get a haircut and a manicure and some better clothes and…No, I'm only making myself feel worse like this, I need to think of something else. What else, that is the question. To be or not to be… Right, school. Let's see, when I'm done with this I'll get started with the assignment, and maybe I'll even finish it. Hmm, what if I…_

It was no wonder that at 3 p.m, she sighed with relief at the sight of her next-to-spotless apartment. Now she could concentrate her thoughts on something besides worrying. Plus, she wouldn't have to do a thorough cleaning for another few weeks.

She made herself a cup of coffee and a sandwich, gathered her books and pencil, and made herself comfortable on her daybed. It was time to get to work. Taking a sip off her still steaming coffee, she started to read.

§§§

Time was moving so slowly that it might as well have been static. At least that was how Goofy felt as he sat on his chair, idly staring at the clock. Being finished in record time had its drawbacks, namely that he ran out of work earlier than usual. He wanted the workday to end so badly he could taste it. He would be meeting his friends at _Joe's_ as soon as he got out of the office, but right now, that felt an eternity away.

The clock ticked unbearably slow, and Goofy watched the hands move. 18 more minutes, 15, 11, 8, 6, why did they have to move so slowly? Finally, much later than he'd wanted, he was free to go. He heaved himself out of the chair and strode out of the office and to _Joe's_.

Giddy with excitement he spotted them, sitting right beside the entrance. For a moment he just stood there, savouring the feeling of finally having the old gang together again.

"Hey, Goofy! Over here!" Mickey waved him over to the table.

Goofy was there in mere seconds, and greeted his old friends with a big grin on his face.

"Hi guys, how are you?"

"Oh, just fine. Mr. Grouchypants over there threw a tantrum when we got stuck in traffic, but he cooled down when the nice police officer gave him a ticket." Mickey smirked and winked good-naturedly at Donald who scowled at the memory. Daisy was not going to be happy when she found out.

"Darn, there was nothin' to it, and he gave me a ticket…"

"Oh, Donald, you really need to control your temper better."

"Aw, phooey!"

Goofy couldn't help but laugh at that. Everything was the way it should be. Mickey was still a friendly rascal, and Donald was…well, Donald. He had really missed hanging out with them.

"A-hyuck! Gawrsh, I'm so glad to be with you guys again."

"Aww, I've missed you too you big goof, and so has Donald."

"Yeah, I've missed havin' you around."

The big goof in question beamed at his two friends and asked: "How's everythin' in your lives?"

"Well, me and Minnie have decided to get engaged."

"…"

"Hey, there's no need to look so surprised, guys, we have been dating for 10 years now, so it's only right."

"But, but, why now?" Goofy asked him with some confusion.

Mickey had the decency to look embarrassed, and he squirmed in his seat while he tried to find the right words. Donald on the other hand snickered loudly and obnoxiously, and answered the question for him. "Haha, she bullied him in to it, that's what happened."

"She did not!" Mickey shouted. He blushed, but continued. "We just…talked about it. She loves me, and I love her, so we got engaged." He shrugged.

"Gawrsh, Mickey that's amazin'. Have you set a date yet?"

The mouse's blush deepened. "Uh, well, um…I…She…No, not yet. There's no need to rush it."

"Haha, in ten years perhaps?" Donald teased him.

"Shut up, it's not like you're the one to talk! You and Daisy, it's been what, seven years now?"

"Oh, yeah? That's different, and you know it, you darn meddlin' mouse."

"That's not different at all, you deluded duck."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it isn't."

"Yes. It. Is."

"…Not."

"Oh yeah! Take that, you darn, double…" Donald was getting agitated, and because of that it was impossible for his friends to hear exactly what he thought about Mickey. Being used to his flaring temper, they just shared an amused look, and let him wear himself out jumping up and down on his chair, waving his arms around.

A few minutes later he was calm, and they continued their discussion until a waitress approached them.

§§§

A/N: First of all, thanks for the reviews. It really means a lot to me. Two of you have noted that Goofy had a child as early as in the fifties, and I just wanted to let you know that I'm aware of that fact. I think of that as a totally different set of canon, though. The Goofy of those cartoons was too normal to be the goof that I know and adore. If anything, he could very well be the current goof's father. Regarding Max's mother; I'm not sure whether or not her death is canon. Some sites seem to suggest it, whereas others (including the official Disney site) don't mention it at all. I haven't decided what to do about it yet, but she will indeed disappear from the picture eventually.

Secondly, I want to apologize for the delay. I didn't intend for this story to be a WIP, but I have to post it as I progress in order to get feedback. Sorry about that. It'll be completed eventually, don't worry about that.

Thirdly, the exclamations used by Goofy are taken from the screenplay for A Goofy Movie, so they should be right. I'm just mentioning this in case anyone is wondering.


	4. Unexpected coincidence

**Unexpected coincidence**

It was dark outside by the time Carla was satisfied with her work. She had read her books, taken notes, and written her essay all in one evening. If any changes needed to be made, she'd still have plenty of time to make them during the weekend. Life was good. She closed her books with a resounding thud and instead turned on the TV. She sat comfortably, just watching the mindless entertainment, for yet another hour before she decided to go to bed. She would worry tomorrow instead.

§§§

"You did not!" Donald exclaimed with a great deal of disbelief.

"Honestly, that's what happened. Minnie didn't talk with me for a week after that."

"Haha, whaddya know, the mouse isn't perfect," Donald gloated.

The three friends had been talking constantly since their little reunion started, only pausing when their food arrived. They had talked about their past adventures, but mostly the subject had been their respective love lives. Or, to be more precise, Donald and Mickey's love lives. Goofy had mostly been listening while his two buddies talked about their girlfriends. Right now, they were telling each other anecdotes about problems that they had inadvertently caused because of silly misunderstandings, jealousy, and clumsiness. They had been at it for over an hour, and there was no end in sight. The stories were amusing, he couldn't deny that, but Goofy would have appreciated a discussion that could involve him, too. Unfortunately for him, Mickey seemed to be of the same opinion.

"So, Goofy, is there a woman in your life yet?" he asked earnestly.

"Umm, no, not really." Goofy replied, blushing from his hat down to his feet.

"Not really? What's that supposed to mean?" Donald said.

"I don't have a girlfriend, alright?"

He hadn't intended for it to sound bitter, but that's how it came out. Mickey, who was far more sensitive to the feelings of others than Donald, hushed the duck before he could make another potentially hurtful comment.

"I'm sorry, Goofy. Wanna talk about somethin' else?"

"Gawrsh, that'd be nice."

"…What do you wanna do tomorrow? Fish, play golf?"

"Gee, I dunno, guys. Maybe you could decide?"

"Hehe, alright. Golf it is. Right, Donald?"

"Sure thing." Then he yawned, which prompted the three friends to look at their watches and thus realize that it was time to head home to Goofy's.

§

Later in the evening, when they were all comfortably situated on Goofy's shabby couch, the conversation drifted towards their careers. Being men, that subject soon degenerated into wild stories of their adventures as professionals.

"So, the Phantom Blot and his gang of thugs had me cornered, and I thought 'Mickey, you're in deep trouble now', but then I got an idea – I'd just use my pocket-knife to cut the rope that held up the chandelier! And, 'CRASH' it fell down and hit _me_ in the head. When I woke up seven hours later, they were all gone, and so was every single valuable in the Lé Pomegranate mansion."

"Oh yeah? That's nothin'! Just last week I followed Uncle Scrooge to his rubber plantation in Farawayistan, and we were attacked by the entire Beagle Boys clan five minutes after arriving there. They were after his money, as usual. They drugged us and tied us to a railroad track, and we'd have died if the natives hadn't mistaken Uncle for some vengeance god and saved us," Donald said with a smug look at Mickey. No stinkin' mouse, no matter how foolhardy, would beat him at his own game.

"A-hyuck! Your jobs are far more dangerous than mine, pal-erooonies. Not that I mind or anythin'; I'm pretty happy to work in a safe environment."

Mickey laughed, and said, "Heh, I bet you still get in trouble all the time."

"I suppose I do." Goofy smiled slightly.

"Wanna share?"

"Not really. And the stories aren't interestin', anyway."

"Alright. It's gettin' kinda late, guys - should we call it a night?"

Goofy and Donald both agreed, and with that, their first evening together was concluded.

§§§

It was bright. Too bright. Carla frowned and looked at her alarm clock. 10 a.m. It wasn't as bad as she'd expected. She didn't have to be at work until later in the day, her assignment was finished, and the apartment was clean. She decided to get up nonetheless, because she had some shopping to do.

More accurately, she had a lot of shopping to do. She needed more shampoo, new toothbrushes, milk… The list was long. That's why she found herself in a nearby supermarket late that Saturday morning. _I should have done this some other day_, she resignedly thought when she spotted the lines. They were so long and winding that she wondered if they in fact were without end altogether.

§§§

"Do we have everythin' we need?" Mickey asked Goofy as the two of them were preparing a snack for later in the day. Donald, true to form, was still asleep despite his friends' attempts at waking him up. They'd just have to dump a bucket of water on him eventually.

"Gee, I dunno, Mickey. Lemme check." He searched through their bag of goodies and frowned.

"No mustard."

"Darn. I guess we'll have to stop by at some store then." Mickey said.

"Yep."

They finished their packing, managed to wake Donald up, and left for the golf course. They decided to stop at the Lone Pine Mall to get the mustard.

The huge crowd within did nothing to spoil their good moods - they simply got what they came for, plus some assorted sweets and chips, and tried to decide which line was the shortest.

As they were browsing for a good line, Goofy spotted Carla. She noticed him too, and smiled shyly at him. He stood there completely crestfallen, desperately trying to gather his wits. _Is she smiling at me? What should I do? Smile back?_ He did eventually smile back, and ordinarily that would have been the end of it, but Mickey noticed the exchange of glances, and asked Goofy to introduce them to his friend. He promptly blushed, but valiantly led them to Carla.

"Umm, hiya, Carla."

"Hi, Goofy." She bit her lip and hesitantly added, "Are these your friends?" gesturing vaguely at Donald and Mickey.

"Yeah. Carla, meet Donald and Mickey. Guys, this is Carla." He stumbled over his own words in his hurry to make the proper introductions, and at that point Goofy was ready to die of embarrassment. _Gee, great job there, genius. Could you be more of a dork?_

Mickey, who had been watching the exchange with hidden amusement, reached out his hand, and she shook it. Donald lifted his sailor hat in acknowledgment of her.

"How do you two know each other?" he asked.

"Oh, I work at _Joe's_." she replied.

"All right." Mickey practically beamed at her.

His friendly demeanour relaxed Carla enough for her to ask, "Are you on your way somewhere?"

"Just a guys' day out, ya' know," he said.

"We're going golfing," Donald supplemented in an unusual act of helpfulness and manners.

"Sounds like fun. It's a lovely day to be outside." she said, desperate to make a good impression.

"You're right about that." Mickey smiled, and added, "It's been a pleasure meeting ya, Carla, but it seems to be your turn at the register now."

That was indeed true, so Carla hurriedly bid them goodbye and walked to the cashier.

Donald suddenly saw something miraculous. So miraculous, in fact, that it was on the verge of being a religious experience. The store was opening another register.

"Run!" He shouted excitedly, and run they did.

§§§

A/N: Yay, I have finally found a Beta! If it weren't for her, this chapter, as well as the last one, would have been a complete mess.

To the one reviewer who wondered where Max was: He isn't born yet. Sorry if I wasn't clear about that.


	5. Encouragement

A/N: The wait is over! Finally I've gotten off my lazy behind and done some writing.

**Encouragement **

Mickey had a secret, infuriating smile on his lips as the three friends got in the car. Donald seemed to take it as a personal insult. "What are you so damn happy about?" he asked crossly.

"Gee, Donald, I'm just enjoyin' the nice weather," was his sunny retort. A devious look crossed his face, and with an even, almost bland, voice he remarked, "That Carla woman seemed very nice."

"Yeah, she is," Goofy said, oblivious to the trap that his friend was setting for him.

"Have you known her long?" Mickey continued with the same feigned disinterest.

"Oh, I dunno. A few months, I guess."

"She's kinda cute." He shot Goofy a surreptitious glance and was rewarded with the sight of him blushing. _Bingo_. "What do _you_ think, Goofy?" _Oh, I'm evil all right_.

"Umm, I guess so." The blush intensified.

Mickey took pity on him and thoughtfully added, "I think she likes you."

"Nah, she's probably just bein' friendly."

"Yeah, real friendly," Donald snorted. "I've never seen a dame go in raptures over you before, but there's a first time for everything."

That earned him a stern look from Mickey, even though that was disturbingly close to his own thoughts on the matter.

"Maybe you should ask her out?" he asked and watched Goofy turn yet another interesting shade of red.

"Gawrsh, Mickey, I don't think she'd want that," Goofy replied uneasily.

Mickey sighed, but he wasn't ready to drop the subject. "All kidding aside, Goof, she honestly seems to like you." He chuckled. "And quite frankly, it's not that hard to see that you're complete smitten with her. Take a chance and ask her out. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, ain't that so?"

For a few minutes the only sound in the car came from the engine. Then Goofy asked with an obvious hopeful note to his voice "Do…Do ya really think that she'd say yes?" Mickey smiled softly. _Geez, look at the poor guy. He's really got it bad_.

"Aww, gee, you really sell yourself short sometimes." And with a hint of mischievousness he added "If the duck can find a date, so can you."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"

On the inside, Mickey was laughing, but to any casual observer he looked as calm as could be when he just said, "Gosh, look at that. We're already here," and got out of the car, leaving Donald spluttering with rage in the backseat.

Mickey quietly chuckled to himself. Any chance of annoying Donald was too good to pass up, and the duck would get over it eventually. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed having the whole gang together - it had been too long since the last time he beat the duck at golf. Yes, they brought out the worst and the best in each other, but whatever else one could say, it never got boring with those two around. "Hurry up, you guys - we don't have all day," he said good naturedly as he took their equipment out of the trunk. Still in a great mood, he noticed that Goofy had somehow managed to get his vest stuck in the car door. Typical. But where was Donald? _Of course, he's making fun of Goofy's little problem. I should have known_. The smile that had been tugging at his lips the whole journey broke out into a full-fledged grin as he with very little fuss freed Goofy from the car and trotted away towards the first hole.

It wasn't until four hours later that Mickey a little tentatively breeched the subject of Carla again. He had wanted Goofy to get more acquainted with the idea of Carla returning his affections before they revisited the conversation from the car.

They'd had a lot of fun with their game, which, Mickey smugly noted, _he_ was winning. It wasn't that he was a (much) better player than Donald or Goofy, but at least he wasn't prone to losing his temper anytime he came near a bunker or to getting himself tangled up with inanimate objects. It never ceased to amaze him how little it took to take Donald to the verge of murder, or how often Goofy got himself into strange situations.

Sometimes he wondered what it'd be like to be that extreme. He was aware that he was considered to be the most normal one out of the three of them, and he didn't really mind that. He might not be the most interesting guy in the world, but his life surely wasn't lacking in excitement despite that. The detective agency, his pride and joy, brought him the mystery and adventure he craved now that he wasn't working odd-jobs with Donald and Goofy, but he still missed the chaos those two could create. Not even his nephews could accomplish anything like that. His nephews, who had become an important part of his life the last few years, although, he had to admit, not as big a part as Donald's nephews played in his. Then there was Minnie, the love of his life. He had often hoped that Goofy would find a love interest someday - if anyone deserved someone to love, it was him. That's why he was determined to get Goofy to ask Carla out. In all the years he had known him, this was the closest the big goof had ever been to an amorous relationship, and Mickey knew that in spite of his front as a happy bachelor, he needed someone to care for.

He rested a little nonchalantly against his club and watched as Goofy relentlessly tried to make his putt. It was admirable the way he kept his good humour even when the world ganged up on him, Mickey thought to himself. But then again, a lot about Goofy was admirable. He might not be the most graceful of beings, but he had a good heart, and that's what mattered most of all. He smiled and said, "Nicely done!" and almost as an afterthought added, "So, whaddya say guys, is it time for a break yet?"

Donald looked up from his scorecard with a frown, and whined, "Already?"

"Well, yeah. We've been at it for a long time, and it's been even longer since either one of us had somethin' to eat."

"Aww, all right." The truth, Mickey was willing to bet, was that Donald was just as eager to take a break as he was. He was just annoyed because he lost at golf. Again.

They walked over to a big oak on the edge of the golf course and sat down in the dry grass beneath it. It was a perfect day for a picnic, and the golf had made them work up an appetite, so for a while they just sat there, happily munching away.

Eventually, Mickey breached the subject he had been thinking of ever since the chance meeting with Carla in the supermarket.

"Ya know, Goof, you really ought to take a chance in this case. It'll be worth it in the end."

"Wha?" Goofy was obviously at a loss, so Mickey patiently continued, "With Carla, I mean."

"You've already said that, and I still don't think she'd go out with a lump like me."

"Hmm. Let's look at this logically. Why don't you think that she likes you?"

"Umm…"

"See, you have no reason to think that!" Mickey exclaimed triumphantly. He continued, "I know that you're not used to this stuff, but ya gotta give it a try. I mean, you like her, and despite what you seem to think, she likes you. A lot." Goofy made a motion as to protest, so Mickey kept on talking. "I'm not making this up, ya know. I wouldn't be so supportive of this idea if I wasn't sure. I'm your friend, and I want you to be happy."

"A-hem." There came a fake cough from Donald's direction.

"And Donald too." Mickey added with a smile.

Goofy looked thoughtful for a while, but eventually he smiled softly and said, "Gawrsh, maybe you're right. I'll give it a try. It's just that…_What_ should I ask her?"

"Whaddya mean?" Donald suddenly chimed in, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

"How do I ask her out? I don't have much experience when it comes to this."

"You've got that right," Donald sniffed.

"There's no need to be snippy," Mickey reprimanded him. "Since you're new at the dating game I suggest that you start with something small. Ask her out for coffee."

"Yeah, that'll do it," Donald agreed.

"That sounds like a great idea, guys. Ehh…When?"

Donald heaved a great sigh, and said "Maybe you should do it while we're still aroun', cause ya need all the help you can get."

"That's swell, making him feel bad about himself right before he asks a girl out." Mickey was definitively disapproving this time. He took a none-to-gentle swing at him in order to really get the message through. The duck could be so thickheaded sometimes.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" He glared at the culprit and rubbed his hand where Mickey's admittedly rather weak right hook had hit him.

"Don't listen to the duck - he lives to make people miserable. Everythin's gonna be alright." He would actually have preferred Goofy to make the move before he and Donald left, but he couldn't say that now that Donald had suggested it in such a rude and potentially hurtful way. He had, however, underestimated Goofy's potential for forgiveness, as well as his insecurities regarding the fairer sex.

"You're right, Donald. I'll ask her tonight. Ya'll come with me to the diner, won't ya?" He gave them a look filled with so much hope that they would have agreed even if they had thought that it was a bad idea. As it was now though, there was no question that Goofy would have backup when he asked the girl of his dreams out for a cup of coffee.

"Aww, of course we will. We'll keep in the background."

"Thank you guys, I really appreciate that." Goofy said softly.

TBC


	6. Awakening

**Awakening **

As Carla gave the payment for her items to the pimply teenager with the Farah Fawcett hair, her thoughts wandered back to the surprise meeting with Goofy and his friends. The shock of seeing him in such an unexpected place had really shaken her up. It was as if she for the first time acknowledged to herself that she had the crush of a lifetime. She was just in the process of further analysing her reaction – a wildly beating heart and a violent flutter in her stomach – when the young clerk sourly called her to attention with a rude "Yo, Cheese Weasel! Wake up!"

Carla blinked dumbly at her and then swiftly realized where she was and what was expected of her. She took the offered change and picked up her purchases, all the while thinking, _Cheese Weasel? What the heck does that mean?_ As she walked out of the store, she came to two conclusions, the first one being that 'Cheese Weasel' probably wasn't a term of endearment, and the second one being that she needed to get out more. She was too young to be oblivious in the face of slang. She probably needed to 'get hip' with the current fashions as well, but that would have to happen some other time.

She spent the rather short walk home thinking about mundane, everyday things, such as the great weather and how dull it was to have to drag herself to work on a Saturday when she'd much rather spend the evening at home, curled up with a book. As she entered her building, her train of thought led her from her pathetic social life right back to the issue of Goofy and the feelings he evoked in her. It was pointless to keep pretending that she didn't care deeply about him, but that left her with only two options: stop caring about him, or do something about it.

Still deep in thoughts, she walked up the stairs to her apartment, opened the door, kicked off her shoes and put away her groceries in the fridge. She felt anxious and jittery, and she hated feeling powerless against her own feelings like that. Absentmindedly, she poured herself a glass of bitter, homemade ice tea and sat down cross-legged on the daybed. For some minutes she stared out into empty space, only sipping her beverage occasionally - but eventually, she forced herself to think about what was troubling her.

_So, I guess that there's no doubt that I feel strongly about Goofy after all, just like Martha said. How could I have been so blind? - That's right – you're an idiot._ She frowned at the realization that she, once again, was having a conversation with herself and tried to will herself to think in first person only. _No, I'm an idiot, there's no 'you' in my brain, because only crazy persons talk to themselves, even if only in their heads._

_And yet you keep doing it, _the cruelest part of her mind taunted. Annoyed with her inability to stay on track, she tried to clear her head while she drank a few mouthfuls of the ice tea. _As I was saying before I so rudely interrupted myself, I've been blind. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised; I've never been an emotional person, so it's only logical that I should have problems recognizing my own romantic interest in someone else._

She finished her tea, put the glass on the small side table, straightened out her legs, and leaned back onto the pillow. _Anyway, so now that I've learnt that I'm… in love? _She let the word swirl around in her head, trying it out. _No, not love, not yet at least. A crush?_ She wrinkled her eyebrows in concentration, but had to discard the word. _No, it's more than that – and honestly, I'm not a teenager, so I shouldn't get crushes anymore. It's not love, but it's more than an infatuation… good word, by the way, much better than 'crush'… Anyway, that's not really important. Back to the subject at hand. So, what do I do about it? That's what I really should ask myself right now. What. Do. I. Do._ She sighed tiredly and just laid there watching the ceiling, before she, at last, drowsily closed her eyes and fell asleep.

§§§

Two hours later, she woke up with a start. She still could remember fragments from the dream she'd been having. Something about her parents' house and a secret cellar where lilies grew. She put the memory aside and went to the bathroom. On her way to the kitchen she checked her wristwatch and guiltily realized that it was already 3.04 p.m. She considered making a sandwich, but decided that it wasn't worth the hassle. She was feeling slightly sick, something she immediately recognized as a sign of stress. _Just perfect_, she thought, _even when I have nothing real to stress about my mind picks something completely innocent and turns it into nausea_.

She picked up her keys from the brown bowl on the counter and left for work. She walked to Joe's without any hurry and kept herself busy by once again resuming to think up a good plan of action. _Ignoring my feelings won't work, that'll just come back and bite me in the ass later. I can't stop feeling the way I feel, even I know that. I guess I'll just have to talk with him._ She kicked irritably at some pebbles that were lying quite innocently in her way, and continued with her brooding. _But what should I say to him? "Hey, Goofy, I like you." Nah, that's stupid. Maybe I could compliment him on something… his hat? No, he'll probably take it the wrong way. I could just go right out and ask him out, but I don't have the guts for that. _"Aaargh!" She screamed in frustration and attracted some curious glances from passers-by in doing so. "Hehe, sorry about that," she said nervously and hurried away. Conveniently enough, she was just around the corner from her destination so it was an easy feat to sneak into the alley, away from all prying eyes.

"Ya're early." Martha took a last loving draught from her cigarette and crushed the remains with the sole of her shoe. "I don' think ya've ever been here this early before."

"I decided to try something different today, I guess," was Carla's amiable reply.

She opened the restaurant's back door and snuck in, leaving a surprised Martha behind her. The peace didn't last for long, however. She was in the process of changing into her uniform when Martha appeared in the doorway.

"Ya know, ya're a little too happy to be happy, if ya get my drift," she said and tapped her nose conspiringly.

Carla was glad that she was facing her locker, because she knew that she had never been any good at lying, especially not to a bright woman such as Martha. Not having to look her in the eyes helped, but not much. "I can assure you that I'm perfectly fine, I'm in a good mood, that's all." She cringed inwardly at her choice of words; she never spoke in such a stilted way unless she was nervous, something Martha of all people was well aware of.

"Somehow, I'm not convinced," she said archly.

Carla knew when a battle was lost and turned around to face her friend. "Okay, I might not be feeling very chipper right now. Happy?"

"Not by a long shot." Martha beckoned her to sit down and continued, "Now tell me what's buggin' ya."

"It's nothing really, just a silly idea I got today," Carla said, feeling too embarrassed to tell the actual truth.

That earned her a disbelieving look accentuated by a raised eyebrow. "What 'idea' was that?"

Carla looked up at Martha's face and the concern it expressed and decided that she couldn't lie to her in good conscience. She took a deep breath and said, "I realized that you've been right the whole time – I have to act on my feelings."

Martha lit up like a Christmas tree, and almost clapped her hands in delight. "Oh, hun, that's wonderful. What made ya change ya mind?"

"I met him at the grocery store today, and it made me feel so strange inside." She grimaced at her clumsy way of expressing herself, but rambled on mindless of that. "So I realized that I like him more than I thought I did, and thus, I need to do something about it." She finished her tirade and looked expectantly at Martha. When she didn't get a reaction, she continued, "So… What should I do about it?"

"Aww, that's easy, hun! Tell 'im."

"I don't think I can. What if he laughs at me?"

"Don't be silly, 'e's crazy about ya. 'e's just too shy to show it."

"Well, I'm shy too," Carla remarked crossly.

"Sometimes, ya have to put yer pride on the line for the greater good," Martha said seriously.

Carla sighed desolately and said, "You're right, as usual." She stood up and continued, "I'll talk with him today. He's bound to show up soon. He always does."

"That's great. Go get yer man."

"Thanks, I will," Carla laughed.

She went to work feeling much better than when she had arrived, sure in her decision to talk with Goofy. The anxiety from before was still there, but it was now mixed with an equal share of determination.

An elderly gentleman looked just about ready to place his order, and she walked up to him with a friendly hello. For a minute she was completely engrossed in her work, but the moment she noticed a familiar, gangly figure enter the diner, her heart started racing like crazy.


	7. The Big Tamale

**The Big Tamale**

This was the defining moment, the big tamale, the once in a lifetime-moment, Goofy thought as he and his friends entered _Joe's_ after their day of golf and male bonding. He knew that Carla always worked on Saturday afternoons, and he was certain that if he didn't find the courage to ask her out today, with the support of his friends, he would never do it. _The downside of being a coward_, he thought as he anxiously scouted the diner for signs of the lady in question. He didn't spot her right away, and for a brief but terrifying moment he was convinced that she'd taken one of her rare, but sometimes inevitable, days off. But then he saw her, chitchatting amiably with an old man as she brought him his food. Goofy had never seen anyone more beautiful in his whole life. Her whole being seemed to radiate friendliness and warmth. He smiled when she absentmindedly tugged at her ear, and would have remained motionless, just absorbing the sight, if Donald hadn't poked him in the back and stage whispered, "Hey, you were supposed to ask her out, not stalk her."

Goofy blushed, but quickly regained his composure and led their little group to an empty table. When they were seated, he couldn't help but let his gaze wander back over to Carla, who was busy clearing off a table.

"Hey, stop staring at the poor girl", Donald said and waved a hand in front of Goofy's face. "Have you decided when to ask her yet?" he continued.

"Gee, I dunno. What do you think, Mickey?"

"Hmm, when it feels natural for you."

"Gawrsh, that's real helpful," Goofy remarked irritably.

"Hehe, alright; how about when you pay the tab?"

"That sounds alright," Goofy decided.

At this point they were interrupted by Carla who had appeared at their table, notepad and pen ready in her hands. Goofy quickly lost his nerve and started to play with the bottle of Tabasco on the table so that he didn't have to look Carla in the eyes. Had he looked at her, he would have noticed that she too seemed unusually fidgety and nervous.

"Good evening, messieurs, and welcome to _Chez Joe's_. What can I interest you in from the menu tonight?" she teased a little too good-naturedly to be true.

"A cheeseburger with fries and a strawberry milkshake," Donald quickly said, completely insensitive to the tension in the room.

"And I just want a chilidog and a coke" Mickey supplemented, trying hard to go for casual.

"All right. What do you want, Goofy?"

"Umm, the usual, please," he said and braved a quick look at her face. He was somewhat relieved when he noticed that she didn't look as if she knew what he really wanted right now.

"Okay, I'll have that coming right out for you," Carla said and hurried away towards the kitchen.

When she was out of hearing distance, Mickey asked Goofy if he had noticed anything odd in Carla's behaviour.

"Wha? No, I don't think so, but then I was preoccupied with worrying if _she_ would notice anything odd about _me_", Goofy shrugged.

Mickey smiled at that and explained what he meant. "Well, she was acting like she was nervous about something, and her behaviour was a little strained – it was as if she was trying to act normal, but couldn't quite make it," he said with a thoughtful frown.

Goofy paled and whispered, "Do ya think she knows?"

"Nah," Donald piped up, "I don't think so. If she knew, you'd know."

"Are ya sure?"

"Yeah," Donald explained, "she's a dame, and they just can't keep a secret. If she knows, you'd know it," he finished with an eloquent shrug of his shoulders.

"Haha, speaking from personal experience there, eh Duck boy?" Mickey asked mockingly.

Two angry red splotches appeared on Donald's otherwise white face, but he replied nonetheless. "As a matter of fact, yes. Not that that's any of your business, you nosy…"

He was cut off by Goofy who said, "Thanks, that feels good to know!" in order to avoid a scene. With a damper put on Donald's rage, they entered into a comfortable silence.

§§§

"He's here, he's here!" Carla cried worriedly the moment she was safely out of earshot of the customers. Martha raised her head from the bucket of questionable dressing that she was suspiciously sniffing and shot her a worried glance. "Calm down, hun, and take a deep breath."

When Carla showed no signs of calming down, Martha rose from her hunched position by the fridge, wiped her hands on her polyester clad thighs and walked over to Carla, who was pacing frantically around the small back-room. She put her hands on her shoulders in a soothing gesture. "Now, tell me what's wrong with that man of yours, awright, hun?"

"Nothing's wrong with _him_! I'm the one having a nervous breakdown!" Carla almost sobbed, hiding her face in her hands. Martha gently clasped Carla's hands with her own and brought them down to waist-level. She led Carla's devastated form to a box where she gently coaxed her into sitting down and squatted down before her.

"Awright, then tell me what's wrong with _you_. I thought ya were gonna set things straight with 'im today, and now you're in 'ere, crying." She searched Carla's face for an answer, and not finding anything, she continued "Did somethin' happen?"

Carla hiccupped. "No…Nothin' happened, I just re..realized tha...at I ca…a'nt do it!"

"Shhh, it'll be awright," Martha comforted and embraced her in a bear hug. "It aint easy, I know that, hun." She rocked Carla gently, and continued "Ya shouldn't take evrythin' so serious, that's all. It's okay to not be strong all the time."

Muffled, but still audible, came Carla's devastated reply, "'m not strong."

"Ya sure are," Martha said harshly.

"No, 'm weak."

Martha suddenly released Carla from her hold, and looked her straight in the eyes while holding her by the shoulders. "Y'are strong, there's no denyin' that." Carla tried to avert her eyes, but she was held captured by Martha's strong hands and steady gaze. Eventually, the mere presence of Martha's solid bulk calmed her down enough so that Martha could continue, albeit softly, "Y'are strong, stronger than most people I know." She handed Carla a handkerchief that she had fished from her blouse pocket and gave her a reassuring shoulder squeeze. "No one can do everythin' on their own though. It ain't shameful to need help once in a while, ya oughta remember that." At Carla's teary eyed and grateful smile she briskly added, "Now clean yerself up an' in the meantime, I'll bring 'im 'is food."

She pulled Carla up to her feet and left with one last encouraging smile.

§§§

Just as the three friends were getting restless, Martha appeared at their table with their food.

"Here's your food, boys. Sorry for the wait – there was a small mishap in the kitchen," she said with a warm smile and put down the plates in front of them.

"Thanks a lot, Martha," Goofy said evenly, trying to hide his confusion at Carla's sudden disappearance. Martha wasn't fooled though, and offered, "Carla had to freshen up a little – she got splattered with some stale dressing," as an explanation.

Goofy let out a breath he didn't know that he was holding, and repeated his thanks with an added, "Gawrsh, this sure looks tasty."

"Ya could use to put on some weight, ya're nothin' but skin and bones!" she said fondly and winked at him. "Well, it's been lovely chatting with ya all, but I gotta run now – enjoy your meal." And with a swish of her hips she left them to their own devices.

§§§

Carla looked at the closed door for a second, but then pulled herself together and swiftly walked to the bathroom. She didn't have the time to wallow in self-pity. _Get it together, Gardiner, this is not the time to go all girly on me_, she thought with not a small amount of self-loathing. She locked the bathroom door behind her and turned on the faucet. She took a long look at her splotchy image in the mirror and cringed at how immature and weak she had acted. Washing her face in the cold water, she continued her musings. _God, I'm pathetic. Not only do I screw up with my resolve to tell him how I feel, I make an ass of myself in front of my only friend too. What she must think of me right now! I can't believe how stupid I was, thinking that I could actually go through with it… Once a loser, always a loser, didn't you already know that?_ "Hah!" she said at that thought, joylessly. She dried her face with a paper towel and frowned at her reflection. _That'll have to do. I've got more important things to do than to make myself presentable._ With one last annoyed look in the mirror she left the dingy bathroom, feeling slightly better than when she entered it.

§§§

Donald didn't waste a second starting to glomp down his cheeseburger. It was probably a habit he picked up when his nephews moved in with him, Goofy thought. _There's nothing like three growing lads in the house to teach a man to eat while he has the chance_. Yet he couldn't help but be a little irritated with his nonchalance. Now that he had time to think about it, he didn't believe Martha's explanation, and frankly, he was worried about Carla. She had been acting oddly, even he had noticed that, and now she didn't bring them their food even though they were her customers. He hoped that she was all right.

Mickey seemed to sense his feelings and said, "That sure was strange… I wonder where Carla disappeared to. Don't worry though; I'm sure she's fine. Maybe she just got an important phone call."

"Yeah, that's it!" Goofy willed himself to believe Mickey for his own sanity's sake. But a small corner of his mind still whispered; _that doesn't explain why Martha lied about it_.

The rest of their meal was eaten in silence and accompanied by several searching glances around the diner from Goofy's side of the table. He needed Carla to show up again, because it was now or never as far as confessions went, and he didn't think he could handle admiring her from afar for much longer. He was growing more and more anxious, but finally he noticed her coming out from the kitchen area. As he caught sight of her, the tight feeling around his chest evaporated as suddenly as it had arrived. It was now or never – he would either face his fears of rejection or regret his indecisiveness for the rest of his life. Tonight he would talk with her.

§§§

The moment Carla had left the bathroom, she was ambushed by an anxious Martha. "Hun, ya don't look so good," she said with a worried frown.

"Gee, thanks," Carla said, but couldn't help but feel touched at the older woman's concern.

"When was the last time you ate somethin'?" Martha demanded. "You look like a ghost!" She gave her a sandwich and a glass of water. "Here, I won't stand for ya fainting, ya hear me?"

"Martha, it really isn't necessary, I'm fine," she said, but she ate up the food anyway, because an irritated Martha was not something she was ready to deal with right then.

Martha supervised her closely the whole time, and once Carla was finished with her impromptu meal she asked, "Feelin' any better?"

"Yeah, tons," Carla replied, and to her own surprise, she was.

"That's great, hun" Martha said, sounding very relieved. "Ya gotta look after yerself, ya can't just go aroun' skipping meals. 's not good for ya."

Carla felt ashamed when she thought about how much she had worried her friend and gave her a brief but warm hug. "I'm sorry," she said, "I guess I've just got too much on my mind lately." She smiled to show that she was okay and continued, "I promise I'll take better care of myself in the future".

"Ya better do that," came Martha's gruff reply.

Carla took a few deep breaths, straightened out her uniform, and asked, "Do I look okay?"

Martha took a step back and ran an expert look down the length of her. Her intent observation was just about to make Carla nervous, when she smiled at her and gave her two thumbs up.

"You evil woman," Carla laughed, to which Martha replied, "Ya know it," with a laugh of her own.

Carla briefly fiddled with her apron, while thinking through her situation. She couldn't stand for chickening out, not now when she was as close to her goal as ever. Her decision being made she bravely said, "Wish me luck," and turned around.

"Wha? Ya're gonna talk with 'im after all?" Martha asked, seemingly in shock.

"Nothin' ventured, nothin' gained." And with that Carla squared her shoulders and walked out to the customers.

§§§

"She's back," Goofy murmured to his friends as soon as he caught sight of Carla.

"And just in time too." Mickey said, "We've all finished our food, even Mr. Slob-A-Lot over there," he added, gesturing towards Donald.

"Okay… I guess it's time then," he said shakily.

"You can do it, pal!" Donald said supportively.

"It'll be alright, Goof. We'll be right behind you. Go forward in glory, young warrior," Mickey said with a salute.

Goofy shot him a bemused look, but got up from his chair nonetheless. He walked to the cash register a little tentatively at first, but when he noticed that his friends were still hovering behind him, he regained some confidence.

"H-Hiya again," he said, trying hard to appear at ease.

"Hi. I hope you enjoyed your meal," came Carla's stilted reply. Goofy would have run away then and there if it wasn't for the shaky smile she gave him alongside the sentence.

"It was excellent."

"Liar," she smiled.

"A-hyuck!" Goofy couldn't help but laugh. Carla's smile got even wider, and she said a bit hesitantly, "You- you've got a great laugh."

"Gee, Thanks," Goofy blushed and handed over a few dollar bills to her. "Keep the change."

"Thanks."

"…So," they both said at the same time. They both laughed nervously, and continued.

"I was wondering," Carla forced herself to say, not listening to Goofy, who in turn was completely focused on getting across his own message.

"Maybe -"

"Perhaps -"

"Possibly -"

"You might feel like -"

"You'd want -"

Both terribly embarrassed, they finished, "…to go out for a cup of coffee?"


	8. The bestlaid plans

**The best-laid plans... **

It was as if Goofy and Carla stood together in a space completely separated from the bustle of the real world. The clinking of steel on porcelain, the buzz of several conversations taking place at once, the sounds from the kitchen, and the occasional shouts and exclamations from customers and staff alike couldn't reach them even as they stood in its midst. They were completely focused on each other; both too shocked to speak, standing face-to-face, gazes locked on each other. It was Goofy who finally breached the silence.

"…So, 's Wednesday good for ya?" he said hesitantly, and self-consciously rubbed his left elbow.

"Wednesday's fine," Carla replied thoughtfully. In her head, she had briefly gone through her schedule for the up-coming week, and Wednesday was one of few days she could take the time to go on a date. _A date_. The implications of it all hit her, and she suddenly felt as nervous as a teenager. _God, I bet I'm blushing like a loon_. Embarrassed by her inability to act like a grown woman, she quickly added, "How 'bout we meet around eight at Café Ponderosa? I've heard that they make the meanest coffee in town."

A polite cough from Martha reminded her that she and Goofy, as strange as it seemed, weren't the only two people in the world, or even inside the diner, for that matter. "Um, except for the coffee at Joe's of course," she added before anyone got the idea that she wasn't fully loyal to her employer.

Martha gave her the thumbs up, and those customers who had overheard her comment sniggered. Goofy, on the other hand, "a-hyuked" in his familiar and unique way, causing Carla to feel all warm and tingly inside. Nothing made her feel more at peace with the world than hearing Goofy laugh. It was so joyful, so pure, so free from any malice. She looked expectantly at him, suddenly filled with confidence. He got the clue and answered her question.

"Gawrsh, that sounds great, Carla. Ponderosa at eight it is." He smiled and added, a little regretfully, "I suppose I'd better be goin' now … I did remember to play the bill, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did. Don't worry, I don't have any reason to sic the cops on you."

"Great," he said. "I guess I shouldn't keep my pals waitin'…" He nodded in Donald and Mickey's direction. They were still standing a few steps behind him, seemingly studying the greasy-looking piece of cake that was on display on the counter, but Carla suspected that they were, quite unabashedly, listening in on the conversation. Very similar to what Martha was doing, she added to herself.

"Don't keep 'em waiting on my account," she said jokingly. "And don't think you'll be able to escape from our date." As she made her light-hearted comment, she poked him playfully on his chest. She didn't know herself where all her newfound courage came from, but she gratefully noted that Goofy both understood her joke and appreciated it.

He looked her deep in the eyes and said, "A-hyuck! I wouldn't miss it for the world." He sounded very serious as he said it, and he looked the part too, so there was no doubt in Carla's mind that he meant it completely. His wholehearted assurance made Carla wonder if she really was the only one with a _serious_ crush, a thought that brought her imagination to other equally enjoyable scenarios. Daydreaming had to wait for later though. She still had a job to do.

"Awright, then it's decided." Still in a teasing mood, she added, " I'm looking forward to our date, but we'll se each other before that, won't we? Unless you're planning on abandoning Joe's…"

Goofy's eyes glittered mischievously as he answered her. "Leavin' this place? - Never!" Carla caught herself laughing at his theatrical heroic pose, but before she had a chance to continue their flirting, Mickey saw it fit to intervene.

"Haha, Goof, I think we'd better leave Carla to her work now." Goofy, however, was not ready to let go of Carla's gaze just yet, so his friends had to bodily drag him away from the diner. Even as they struggled to get him through the door, he was waving to Carla with a silly grin on his face. Carla had not excuse to laugh at him, though – the grin on her face was every bit as silly.

Even when they were finally gone from sight, Carla was still grinning, completely absorbed by her own happiness. After a while, Martha was forced to wave a hand in front of her face in order to get her attention. Slowly, as if awakening from a wonderful dream, Carla became aware of her surroundings again. The constant buzz of the diner once again came into focus, together with the smell of grease, coffee and sweat. She shook her head and noticed Martha's gesturing hand.

"I guess I forgot about my duties for a while," she said.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it, hun. I kept an eye on your customers while ya were busy landing yourself your man." Martha looked fondly at her. "I knew ya could do it. It's clear that we have a femme fatale in the makings here."

"Martha!" Carla exclaimed indignantly, but she was laughing none-the less. She hugged the older woman tightly, released her, and said, "Thank you for all your support and help. I couldn't have done it without you "

"Nonsense!" Martha cried out. "You just needed a push in the right direction. Speaking of that, I think Mr. Evans is ready to pay now." She nodded towards the talkative gentleman that Carla had been serving earlier.

"Dammit! I had completely forgotten about him. You're an angel, did you know that Martha?" She hurried away to the gentleman in question, leaving Martha chuckling in her wake.

§

Carla was in a great mood for hours afterwards. Not only had she, after months of longing, gotten a date with Goofy, she had also taken the bull by its horns by asking him herself. It was no wonder that during the rest of the day she found herself drifting into a long line of happy daydreams. Just as she was in the middle of one of the best ones she was called back to reality by a high-pitched shriek.

"What _are_ you doing, you awful girl?" Carla started, and directed her gaze down to an elegantly dressed middle-aged woman whose face had taken on an angry red hue. "You are pouring tea all over my purse – which, I might add, is genuine crocodile skin!" The contemptuous look which accompanied the outburst clearly added a sneering if non-verbal, "Not that _you'd_ recognize elegance even when it's right in front of you."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! It was all my fault, and…" The undeniable truth was that Carla had, by pure negligence, forgotten to stop pouring the hot tea once the cup was full, and she clutched the teapot nervously in her hands as she surveyed the damage.

The harpy refused to listen though, and interrupted her apology. "Of course it was your fault, you negligent, disrespectful little tart!"

Carla stared at her, her open mouth forming a surprised 'o'. Of all the things she could be accused of being, a tart was not one of them. She mentally checked her own appearance to make sure that she wasn't actually looking like one: _Mousy brown hair in a ponytail, no make-up whatsoever, ill-fitting uniform, sensible shoes – check. What's that woman on?_ Deciding that her antagonist was deranged and possibly dangerous, she decided to tread carefully. "I'm very sorry, I'll dry it up immediately."

She fled to the cleaning cabinet before she got another tongue-lashing from the furious woman, but soon she had to reappear at the table, this time with a clean rag in her hand. This only seemed to enrage the woman further, who shrilly declared, "I'll do it myself, you'll only ruin it even more!" She snatched the rag from Carla, who, embarrassed and upset, powerlessly had to watch as the customer cleaned up Carla's mess.

"I'll pay for any damage," she said quietly, feeling exceptionally stupid.

The woman didn't even look up, and furiously kept wiping her purse. "Of course you are. What did you think, that I'd tip you for it?"

"No, of course not." Carla felt awful. _And I was floating on cloud nine just minutes ago_, she thought just a tad bitterly.

She eventually managed to come to an agreement with her peevish customer, and found herself 100 dollars poorer and a lot less happy than she'd been before their unfortunate encounter.

§

Finally, after a long day of work it was time to go home. She thought of her bed with pleasure as she swiftly finished with the inventory, and didn't waste a second changing out of her uniform. Carla waved to a harassed looking college as she walked out into the night.

She was tired and still upset about making such a mess of things with the upper-class wannabe, but despite this she still felt happier than she'd been in months. She was going on a date with Goofy. Wednesday felt too far away for her liking, but with a thoughtful frown she realized that that meant more time to prepare. Clothes wouldn't be a problem since she only owned a few outfits that were suitable for such an occasion, but the mental preparations were a different story altogether.

When she opened the door to her apartment, she heard her phone ringing. She threw herself on the device with an athletic bound.

"Yeah, this is Carla speaking," she quickly exclaimed.

"Oh, hello. This is James Cooper, from school," the person on the other end smoothly introduced himself. "I'm sorry to disturb you at such a late hour, but as it's important, I hope you'll forgive my impudence."

A cold hand clasped at Carla's heart as the world fell to pieces around her. She couldn't speak, being petrified by the implications of her teacher's call.

"Are you still there?" He asked worriedly. "…Oh, don't worry, I don't have anything _bad_ to tell you, quite the opposite, actually."

With a breath of relief she said, "You really had me worried there for a while, Mr Cooper."

He chuckled warmly. "As a matter of fact, I'm just calling to invite you to a small soirée my wife will be having this week."

Carla was thoroughly confused. Why on earth would he be inviting her to a private party? The fact that his wife hosted it comforted her to some degree, since that meant that he wasn't just setting out to seduce her.

"I know it's last minute, but today she found another guest, whose presence could mean a great deal for you."

"I don't understand, sir," Carla said, countless questions zooming around in her head.

"Ah, you see, today she found out that Melvin Cooleridge was in town, so she quickly invited him to come, too. He most graciously accepted, and since he's exactly the type of acquaintance that could be of great importance for your future career, I decided to invite you as well."

_Melvin Cooleridge!_ He was famous in his field and had a great deal of influence on the Yale admissions board. Her mind filled with encouraging future prospects, she reverently thanked him. "That's very kind of you, sir, and I would be honoured to attend."

"Marvellous! I knew you'd understand the significance of meeting him like this. You'll make a great impression, I'm sure of it!"

Carla was genuinely touched by his kindness. "Thank you, sir. …Ehhm, when is it exactly?"

"Dearie me, I had completely forgotten about that." The rustle of papers could be heard, and Carla smiled at his display of absentmindedness. "Here it is," he said, sounding very genial. "It will be held this Wednesday at eight here at 11 Juniper road."

_Crap._ "I see. Thank you." She said it evenly and without even a hint of the disappointment she felt. She bid her teacher goodbye, and was ashamed to admit that she felt a little resentment towards him for ruining her date with Goofy before it had even started.

_Oh, get over yourself! This is your future we're talking about. Of course that's more important than a date, no matter how long awaited it is. _She was disappointed, yes, but her rational self told her to priority. There could still be a date, just not on Wednesday. Unfortunately, her heart wasn't as easily convinced.

§§§

A/N: Hehe, it's been a while since the last chapter, haven't it? I'm terribly sorry for being so lazy with updates, and I promise to better myself from now on.


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